Parachute



1931- I LE ROY AskAM 1,834,370

' PARACHUTE Filed. March a, 1950 INVENTOR. L eBay flr/iam A T T ORNE YS.

Patented Dec. 1,1931 I l :7 I I I UNITED, STATES-PATENT OFFICE I Application filed March 6, 1980. Serial No. 433,648.

This invention relates to improvements in the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advanparachutes such as are used in connection tages of the invention; I with aeroplane fiightsand used by the op- Similar characters of reference denote like erators as life saving devices in making landor corresponding parts throughout the sev- [U 6 ings should the same become necessary, or for eral figures of the accompanying drawings 63 the landing of articles'such as mail ba s, exformingv a part of this specification and upon ress matter, etc., that is intended to e dewhich livered to cities over which the plane is to Fig. lshows a perspective elevational view pass, in order to avoid stopping. of a parachute constructed in accordance with J 10 The object of the invention is to simplify my invention; 60 the construction of parachutes of this type Fig. 2. is an open plan view of a large sheet and to provide one wherein greater resistance prepared and cut for seaming, of a parachute to the air will be afforded with a limited construction in accordance with my invenwidth of parachute and whereby the paration; and 1 chute will open and become effective quicker Fig.3"is across sectional view out through- 65 than is the case with the umbrella type of out the side and'a'part" of the top of the paraparachutes now commonly used. chute as on line 3 of ,-Fig.' 1.

Further, to provide a parachute'which will Referrin min detail to the characters of refright itself more quickly after being released .erence mar red upon the drawings, it will be 20 from aplane and will have less tendency to seen that my parachute is formed of a blank stagger about in the air or float offas is the .5, so to speak, whichobviously may be made case with the above mentioned type of paraup of a series of strips of silk or other 'suitachutes. The parachute is further designed so ble material. Thisblank, 'see Fig. 1, includes that it may be cut and formed in a simple a central solid flat portion having an irregu- 25 manner, and whereby a minimum number of lar-shaped edge'produ'ced by forming theresuspension ropes might be employed to an in a series of notches 6 having two interv advantage instead of the very much greater seating edges 7 that are disposed at right number as now used. .It being obvious that angles to each other. These notches, so the greater the'number of ropes the more formed, provide extensions 8 which are used liability of them becoming tangled or otherv to form the annular depending sides 9 of so wise delay the opening of the parachute unthe parachute, the opposite portions of said der the load which it is designed to carry. sides being disposed downward in, parallel With the above objects in view I have derelation. 7 I signed a parachute which when opened in the The outer edge portions of these extensions air. under a load provides a large air .poeket are tapered from the side edges to thecenter 8 having distinct relatively vertical side walls to form a central suspension portion'lO havadapted to catch and carry the air under the ing an eyelet 11 therein for the attachment pressure of the load and thereby making it of suspension chains or ropes 12. In the less liable to descend in an angular position formation of the parachute the extensions are and lose its maximum amount of resistance. folded down in a way-to bring the edges of 90 l/Vith these and other objects in view, the the adjacent extensions into overlapping eninvention resides and consists in the construc-- gagement where they are secured together by tion and novel combination and arrangement stitching or otherwise forming seams 14. of parts hereinafter more fully described, il- In the formation of the parachute the ex- 45 lustrated in the accompanying drawings, and tensions are folded downward from the cenpointed out in the claim hereto appended, it tral portion that forms the top 13 in a way eing understood that various changes in the to bring the edges 77 of the adjacent exform, proportion, size, and minor details of tensions into overlapping engagement where construction within the scope of the claim they are secured together by stitching or may be resorted to without departure from otherwise, forming the four seams 14 in the side of the parachute and which seams when the parachute is inflated, as in Fig. 1, are disposed substantially vertical and in parallel relation one with the other. 5 When these seams are closed as above su gested, the before mentioned extensions 0 viously form the annular side portions of the parachute while the pointed ends further extend downward for the attachment of the ropes 12. This structure thus forms an inverted bag-like parachute, open of course upon its underside, and which when filled out forms a rounded top 13 and an annular side or apron that may be of a greater or less 9 15 depth according to the size of the pocket desired. This parachute, when released in the air, is less liable to give trouble by the tangling of the cords and will insureia more graceful, slower and dependable descent than is now possible with other types of parachutes. l

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: A parachute made of fabric and formed from a blank having alternate notches and extensions formed around its peripheral edge portions, the two edges of the notch being cut at substantially a right angle, one to the other, and having said edges of each notch secured together to form an annular depending side wall, a portion of each of the depending extensions projecting below the seams, and lines attached to each of the projections.

Signed at Bridgeport, in the county of' Fairfield and State of Connecticut, this 5th day of March, A. D. 1930.

LEROY ASKAM. 

